http://wot.motortrend.com/we-hear-ne...el-239157.html

Enter The Wall Street Journal, which reports that the next Ford F-150 will bow in 2014 with a body largely made from aluminum. The WSJ says that the move will help Ford hit government-mandated fuel economy guideline, and save as much as 700 pounds from the F-150′s curb weight.
There are a couple of issues with this, of course. Truck buyers are notoriously leery of changes to their vehicles that could sacrifice towing/hauling or overall strength. But the success of the downsized EcoBoost engine — coincidentally made out of aluminum — would suggest that fuel economy might win over more buyers than perceived strength. Ford is also keen to remind everyone that the lower control arms of the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor – Ford’s toughest truck in terms of off-road capability — are also made of aluminum, as are all F-150 hoods made since 2004.
The other issue is cost: adding huge amounts of aluminum to the traditionally steel-based Ford F-150 could jack up the price by some $1500, a price hike not everyone will welcome. The 2012 Ford F-150 with the 3.7-liter V-6, in rear-drive form, is EPA-rated for 17/23 mpg city/highway while the four-wheel-drive 2012Ford Raptor with a 6.2-liter V-8 is good for 11/16 mpg.
Ford wouldn’t confirm the authenticity of the rumor, calling it “premature,” but added that “we’re already a leader in using aluminum in full-size pickups, and we’re constantly looking to use technology to improve fuel economy.”

 

 

 

This one looks great.

 

Something about that reminds me of the Nissan Titan

 

 

fwiw, Dan Roth on the Autoblog Podcast tonight was speculating that we'll see Aluminum and Composites both in the next F-150.

 

2015 Ford F-150 Aluminum-Bodied Prototype Spotted Testing



http://wot.motortrend.com/2015-ford-...ng-260817.html

 

Well my aluminum tailgate panel is for ****. Thanks Ford. If you actually use the truck for work it will dent.

 

I guess you'll be buying a Toyota Tundra from now on?

 

No I'll just ***** about my Ford. Still better than what's out there.

 

The new Ram is pretty nice ...

 

I had a goat back in '96. Fell apart at 50,000 miles.

 

My experience with Chrysler is little better ... I only had one (1997 Dodge Intrepid) from 2000-2008 and it lasted me for about 108,000 miles. I sold it when I bought my Fusion. It was ready for the junkyard anyways. Horrible reliability and even worse gas mileage for a 3.5L V6 engine (~14-15 mpg city).

 

I had a '99? Chrysler Concorde that all the window motors went out on within three months of each other. That was the end of Chrysler for me.

 

Great looking car. Mechanically its the same as my Intrepid was and its great to drive for longer distances.